Ice skate sharpener



May 1, 1951 c.'w. BROWN ICE SKATE SHARPENER Filed Jan. 12; 1950 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS- Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STAT ,"rsm orr cs 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a sharpening device for ice skates.

The invention has for its main objects the provision of a sharpeningdevice that will be inexpensive; durable; small size; adapted forapplication to all sizes of blades; and so formed as to cause the bladeto be hollow ground.

To this end, the invention, summarized briefly, comprises an inner shellformed from a cylindricalpiece of metal tubing; an outer shell ofsomewhat larger diameter in which the inner shell is positioned andrigidly secured, the outer shell being split at a locationdiammetrically opposite the point of connection between the shells, toprovide guides for a skate blade inserted through the split portion,said outer shell also having a pair of longitudinal slots disposed onopposite sides of the guides; and an abrasive sheet inserted through theslots and positioned between the inner shell wall and the edge of theblade to he sharpened, the device adapted to be rubbed up and-downlengthwise of the skate blade.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Fig. l is a perspective view of a sharpeningdevice formed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in side elevation and partly inlongitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I provide an inner shell 5 which canbe cut simply from a length of metal tubing. At suitable intervalslongitudinaly of the inner shell, the inner shell is rigidly secured byrivets 2 to the wall of the outer shell 3 which, as seen from Fig. 3, isof somewhat larger diameter than the inner shell 2, thus to space thewalls of the shells apart a suitable distance at a locationdiametrically opposite the points of fixed connection 2, said spacebetween the shell walls constituting a space within which is received ablade B of an ice skate for sharpening of the blade.

Diammetrically opposite the rivets 2, provision is made for thisblade-receiving space by forming the outer shell 3 as a longitudinallysplit cylinder, the side edges of the slit made in the outer shell.being outturned to provide longitudinal guide flanges adapted to besprung apart as necessary to receive between them'jand grip frictionallyblades B of any width.

Formed in the outer shell 3 are the closed longitudinal slots 5, thematerial resulting from the punching of these slots being bent inwardlyto form instruck spacer strips 5. The slots 5, in this connection, areparallel to the guide flanges 4 and blade-receiving space between saidflanges, and are respectively disposed on opposite sides of said space.

The spacer strips 6, as will be observed, engage the wall of the innershell l andcause the guide flanges d to be spread apart to define aminimum blade-receiving space which can be enlarged as necessary merelyby springing said flanges apart to receive blades B of greater width.

Referring to Fig. 3, a piece of abrasive cloth is new inserted throughthe slots 5, so as to be positioned between the inner shell I and theedge of the blade B. The sharpener is now rubbed up and down the skateblade, with the result that the blade is hollow ground against thecurved surface of the inner shell.

As will be apparent, the cloth I is replaced whenever desired, andprovides a very inexpensive abrasive surface, with the user being givena wide choice of type of abrasive and grain size.

What is claimed is:

An ice skate sharpener comprising an outer shell having a longitudinalslit extending from end to end thereof, the side edges of saidv slitbeing outturned to provide longitudinal guide flanges adapted to gripfrictionally the side surfaces of an ice skate blade insertedtherebetween, there being closed longitudinal slots formed in the outershell and respectively spaced from opposite sides of the blade-receivingspace defined between the guide flanges; an inner shell of a diametersubstantially less than the diameter of the outer shell'and rigidlysecured to the "outer shell at a location. diammetrically opposite saidslit; spacer strips extending longitudinally of the respective slots,said strips being integral with the outer shell and being extendedsubstantially radially and inwardly from the outer shell, said stripsengaging the inner shell to space the inner shell and outer shell apartto define a minimum bladereceiving space between the guide flanges; andan abrasive strip underlying the inner shell above said slit andremovably inserted between the slots for grinding of said blade.-

CHARLES W. BROWN.

REFERENCES CI ED 7 The following references are'oi record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

